Louver type window



July 14, 1959 B. M. SINGLETON LOUVER TYPE wmnow 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 18, 1955 ATTORNEY July 14, 1959 B. M. SINGLETON LOUVER TYPE WINDOW 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 18. 1955 CRSQKPM n iulwlwld.

J c LOUVER TYPE WINDOW Benoit M. Singleton, Marshall, Mich., assignor to Woodlin Metal Products, Marshall, Mich., a corporation of v Application April 18, 1955, Serial No. 501,798

' Claims. 20-42) a This invention relates broadly to .openable closure means, and in its morespecific phases to window struc tures of the general type in which a plurality of window sash are. pivotally mounted one above another and in which. anoperatingmechanism is provided for swinging said window sash to and from open position. 'While- .window structures of the pivotally mounte louvertype have come into rather extensive use, the operatiugmechanisms for same have become standardized to the extent that there have been few changes in them for along time, aside'from minor items, even though such mechanisms often give more or less trouble, have To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends the invention, then, consists of the means herein- .;after fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawings and the following description setting forth in detail certain means for carrying out the invention, such disclosed means illustrating, however, but

a several of the various ways in which the principle of the cross-bar operators along thewindow ledge or stool where they. are in the. way,.and frequently do not exert equal force ,on both ends of the louver type sash when operated to open or close the latter. It was a recognition of the needof andmproved operating mechanism for window structures having louver type sash, and the lack of same vention is the overcoming of the prior difliculties en-;

countered with window structures of this type by providing afnew and improvedoperating means for the louver m asuy .1 l

H The invention finds its principal application in window structures'having two vertically movable slide bars, with one. at each of the jambs of the frame, and with said slidej'bars connected to ,thelouvertype sash for opening and closing the latter according to the direction in which said slidef barsYare. moved; and an important object is to provide improved means which permits operating these slide bars in perfect unison.

I A crank-operated actuator'is mounted on the sill of the window frame, preferably midway between the jambs and includes two members horizontally movable in opposite directions, to and from each other, when the crank is turned; and another object is to provide new and improved means connecting said two horizontally movable members with the two slide bars respectively, for vertically moving" the latter. f

A futher object is *to'provide novel connecting means between the horizontally movable crank-actuated members and the slide. bars, said means including two flexible metal strips curving across" the lower corners of the window framEQaii'd secured at one" en'd to" the slide bars and guided for endwise movement, whereby said strips push theseslide bars upwardly when the crank is turned inone direction, pull said slide bars: downwardly when said-crank is turned inthe other direction, and insure thatthe slide bar movements shall be in perfect unison.

:Astill further object is to provide novel guiding means forthelafojresaid flexible metal strips.

3 Yet: another object is to provide an extremely simple and; comparatively inexpensive construction, yet one which will be efiicient, durable and trouble free.

ztillgfurther objects and advantages of the present invention will appear as the description proceeds.

invention may be-used.

V In the annexeddrawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away and in. section, showing a construction in which the louver type sash are pivotally mounted on the slide bars and pivotally connected to window frame-carried links.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical transverse sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, and showing the louver type sash partly open. t

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 3--3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, and with the flexible metal strip and connected slide bar shown in elevation.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing a modified construction in which the louver type sash are pivotally mounted on the jamb portion of the window frame and pivotally connected with links: to the slide bars.

In the drawings above briefly described, a suitable window frame 5 is shown having jambs 6, an upper end member or head 7, and a lower end member or sill 8. The inner side of each jamb 6 is provided with a longi tudinal channel 9 and each of the two channels, respectively, receives a slide bar 10.

t The various louver sash 11 may be of any desired construction, with the'windowpane or light 12 held in a complete frame 13, or provided only at its ends and possibly along its upper edge with customary frame members, all of which it is intended that the drawings be considered to diagrammatically illustrate.

In Figures 1 and 2, the louver sash 11 are pivotally mounted upon the window frame-carried links 14 and are pivotally connected at their upper corners with the slide bars 10, as seen at 15. In Figure 4, however, the

- louver sash 11 are pivotally mounted at 16 on the jambs 6 and are pivotally connected with the slide bars 10 by means of links 17. The operating means for the slide bars 10 is the same in both instances but operates somewhat more easily when the louver sash are mounted on the links 14 as the center of gravity of these louver sash moves substantially in and out from jambs 6 so that the weight of the louver sash need not then be lifted by the slide bars 10 during opening, while such lifting is inherent in the construction shown in Figure 4.

When the construction of Figures 1 and 2 is employed, the uppermost louver sash 11 will be downwardly spaced from the upper end member or head 7 of the window frame 5, when opened. However, a visor or the like 7a may be provided to prevent entrance of rain unless violently blown by wind, and then, of course, the louver sash should be closed.

Two aligned horizontally elongated guides 18, Figure 1, are secured upon and extend longitudinally of the lower end member or sill 8 of the window frame 5. These guides 18 are spaced apart at their inner ends and their outer ends 19 curve upwardly across the lower corners of the frame 5 adjacent the lower ends of the channels 9. Each guide 18 is preferably in the form of a flat metal tube having a longitudinal slot 20 in its upper side.

, Countersunk screws 21, Figure 3, may be used for securing the guides to the frame member 8.

tend vertically from the curved portions 19 of the guides 18, which may be as long as necessary for adequate support of strip 22, and conventionally secured at 23 to the lower ends'ofthe slid'e bars "10,'respectively.

A conventional crank-operated actuator A ;is mounted on the central portion of the lower frame member or sill 8 and includes two horizontally swingable equal operating length arms 24 which, during normal operation, swingaway from each other when the crank 25 is turned in one direction, and swing toward each other when said crank is turned in the other direction.

The two arms 24 are connected with the horizontal inner end portions of the two flexible strips 22 respectively, by means of two links 26. These links are pivoted at 27 to'the arms 24 and are pivoted at 28 to the strips 22. A portion of each of these pivotal connections: 28 extends through the slot '20 of the subjacent guides 18 as is moreparticularly shown in Figure 3. Said slots thus not only facilitate anchoring the slides but make possible firmly supporting the flexible strips 22 while operating same with a connecting member extending into the open face of said slot.

When the crank 25 of the actuator A is turned in one direction, the arms 24 and links 26 slide the flexible strips 22 in one direction, and in the other direction when the crank is turned in the opposite direction under actual operation of the assembly, Thus, the movement of these strips 22 is transmitted in strict unison to the slide bars to easily and smoothly open or close the louver sash 11 as required.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that novel and advantageous provision has been made for attaining the desired ends in connection with operating a louver type window. However, attention is invited to the possibility of making variations within the spirit and scope of the invention as it has been set forth. It is also to be noted that for convenience of showing and describing the present invention, directional terms such as upwardly, downwardly, vertical, horizontal, upper, and lower have been used. The invention, however, is not limited to use with the parts in those specific positions, and those terms are therefore to be considered as explanatory'only of the position of the parts relative to each other.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of 'those explained, change being made as regards the apparatus herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. An operating mechanism for a substantially rectangular window structure having a head, sill, and jambs with a multiplicity of parallel louver type sash pivotally mounted on said jambs, which includes at leastonesubstantially rigid slide bar movable along one jamb of said window structure and guided thereon in a fixed path, means operabl'y connecting same to said louver type sash for pivotally opening and closing same in step with the endwise movements of said slide bar, and at least one unbroken flexible push-and-pull member, a'subs'tantially rigid unbroken means having an elongated portion along said sill and a curved portion for guiding and supporting the sides as well as both front and back faces of said flexible .push-and-pull member in its endwise movements to change its direction of motion from a side and face supported straight line in one direction lengthwise of said sill to a straight line 'in the lengthwise direction of said slide bar, means for operably connecting an end of said flexible member to said slide bar, and means operably connected to said push-and-pull member in its supported area lengthwise of said sill and adapted for connection, in turn, toan operator for moving said push-and-pull member in endwisedirection.

2. An operating mechanismfor a window structure having a multiplicity of louver type sash as set forth in claim 1; wherein said guide means is an inturned edge channel member slotted lengthwise of its inner face at least along said sill, and having a broadly curved portion across a corner of said window structure and through which said flexible push-and-pull member is reversibly movable, said means for operably connecting said pushand-pull member to an operator being movable lengthwise of the slotted inner face of said channel in the area along said sill.

3. In an operating mechanism for a substantially rectangular window structure having a head, sill, and jambs with a multiplicity of parallel louver type sash'pivotally mounted on said jambs, wherein each sash of same is connected to a pair of endwise movable rigid slide bars, one at the inner side of each jamb of said window structure, and whose endwise movements in unison along their respective jambs pivotally actuate said sash, a separate unbroken suitably stiff but flexible push-and-pull resilient strip metal member connected to each of said slide bars for moving same in endwise direction, unbroken means extending along said sill and curved at'the juncture pr said sill with said jambs for'gu'iding and supporting the front and back faces of each of said flexible pushand-pull members in their respective endwisemovements soas to change their direction of motion from a 'straightline in a direction lengthwise of said sill to one in another direction along said jambs and which motion operates 'said slide bars in endwise direction, and means pivotally connected to said push-and-pull members at the sill extending portion of said guide means for simultaneously moving said push-and pull members endwise in unison 'to pivotally actuate-said sash. I f h 4. In an operating mechanism for a window structure having louver type sash as set forth in claim 3; wherein said guide means for each flexible push-and-pull member is a reverse turned edge channel member having a slot in its inner face, at least along and above said sill, and a curved portion in a corner portion of said window'struc ture at the junction'of said sill and said jambs and through which said flexible push-and-pull member, is [reversibly movable, said means for moving said push-and-pull members endwise being connected to the latter in the slot of said guide means along'saidsill.

5. In an operating mechanism for a window' structure having louver type sash as set forth in claim 3; wherein said guide means for each flexible push-and-pull member is a reverse turned edge channel member having a slot in its inner face, at least along and above said sill, and a curved portion in a corner of said window structure at the junction of said sill and said jambs and through which said flexible push-and-pull member is reversibly movable,

and wherein said means for simultaneously moving said push-and-pull members in unison includes an operating meanshaving a pair of links, eachof which is pivotally connected to the corresponding end of one of said pushand-pull members, in the slot of said guide means in the portion of same which extends along said sill, for actuating said sash. 

